Nestled in the heart of Colombo, is the all-new Blooming Breakfast Resto bar and café, poised to become the city’s go-to spot for round-the-clock dining. Blooming Breakfast, open 24 hours, is located at the Independence Arcade (Bauddhaloka Mawatha). 

The concept of a 24/7 breakfast café and bar was brought to Sri Lanka by the team behind the TPH Lakwil brand in Dubai. Blooming Breakfast Managing Director and co-owner Koshala Malik shared that they are thrilled to finally execute a vision they’ve had for over three years, “we want to create a place where anyone can enjoy their favourite dishes at any hour of the day. In less than a month since our grand opening, we have received a lot of love and great feedback and we hope that Blooming Breakfast will become successful so we can franchise the brand to other locations in the future.” 

Located upstairs, the restaurant is spacious and inviting with spaces that are ideal for intimate dining, group hangs or even a solo date. With over 80 dishes on the menu, Blooming Breakfast draws inspiration from multinational cuisines with a curated selection that highlights the best of French, Mexican, Canadian, Italian and American gastronomy. 

So, whether you are craving an early morning breakfast, a mid-day boost, a dinner out with friends or late-night munchies – Blooming Breakfast’s doors are now open to welcome you. 

On our visit, we got the chance to savour a few items off their menu. Here’s what we thought: 

DRINKS 
They have a variety of drinks including soft drinks, coffee and tea but their specialty drinks are found at their smoothie and juice bar.  

Ceylon Twisted Café (4.5/5)
This was our favourite smoothie – made with espresso, chocolate milk, bee honey and banana. We loved the combination of espresso and chocolate milk and thought it was a delightful blend of flavours. 

Blue Moon (3.5/5)
This blueberry, banana and bee honey smoothie blended with yoghurt is rich in antioxidants, making it a great recovery detox drink. While it was quite heavy and the banana flavour dominated, it was still enjoyable. 

FOOD 
Blooming Breakfast boasts an extensive menu featuring over 80 items. Diners can enjoy a diverse selection, from speciality breakfast dishes to burgers, pasta, seafood, and a variety of snacks – so there is something for everyone. 

Bang Bang Shrimp (4.5/5) (Image – 8135)
The appetizers at Blooming Breakfast do justice to Sri Lanka’s fantastic seafood with options like tuna ceviche, salmon, calamari and crab cakes. We opted for their Bang Bang Shrimp with crispy, batter-fried large shrimp tossed in a ginger and sweet chilli sauce served on a bed of fresh lettuce and creamy avocado. The shrimps were big and meaty, and the batter was light and crispy so it had a great crunch. 

MAIN

Pepper Steak (5/5) 

One of our favourite mains was the Blooming Breakfast Pepper Steak made using high-grade Australian beef, cooked to your liking. Australian beef is renowned worldwide for its exceptional quality and the angus tenderloin cut in particular is a favourite among steak lovers for its superior marbling and tenderness.  Our steak was served with sauteed potatoes, grilled vegetables and a spicy pepper sauce. The chef knew exactly how to prepare a good steak – super juicy, cooked to tender perfection and seasoned sparingly to let the quality of the meat do the talking. We also thought the dish was decently priced with a generous portion that included two tenderloin steaks. 

For those who don’t eat beef, there are some excellent alternatives such as yellow tuna steak with herb salsa or a grilled salmon filet with mango salsa. 

Greek Omelette (4.5/5) 
We love a good omelette done right and they have a whole section on the menu dedicated to it. They use a special pan imported just for making the perfect folded omelette so we had to try it. Among the options for fillings like hot butter lobster, Mexican, meat-filled and cheese-filled, we opted for the Greek omelette to try a meat-free option. The omelette was tossed together with sundried tomatoes, caramelized onions, olives and oregano and served with feta cheese on top and potatoes on the side. 

Blooming Breakfast – Healthy Most (4/5)
As a 24/7 breakfast spot, we couldn’t wait to see what speciality breakfast options they had to offer - the answer being a lot! Among their huge varieties of breakfast foods are eight variations of the popular Eggs Benedict, featuring a unique element with ingredients like lobster, crispy crab meat and smoked salmon added into the mix. Wanting to eat a bit cleaner and also explore their healthy options, we opted for their Healthy Most Eggs Benedict which they recommended as a nutritious choice. This dish included toasted multigrain bread topped with sliced grilled tomatoes, goat cheese and a perfectly poached egg with a cashew red pesto sauce. The poached eggs were runny -  just as we preferred – and the red pesto sauce was a fantastic alternative to the hollandaise. Served with fresh fruit on the side (instead of sauteed potatoes), it was a refreshing and healthy option that didn’t compromise on flavour. 

Blooming Crepe (4/5)
The Blooming Crepe is a breakfast speciality made with scrambled free-range eggs, sauteed spinach, turkey bacon, cheddar and Swiss cheese folded into a soft, tender crepe with a drizzle of hollandaise sauce over it. The flavours were mild and comforting – perfect for those who prefer subtle flavours for their breakfast. 

Spanish Paella (3.5/5)
The Spanish Paella offered a Mediterranean twist with paella rice cooked with calamari, mussels, shrimp and white fish fillet with vegetables. Paella is a traditional Spanish dish known for its rich blend of seafood infused with saffron and aromatic spices. This particular dish was packed with seafood and had a distinct oceanic flavour dominating it. Brought to the table in our personal paella pan, the dish was well presented. 

Hazelnut Banana Crepe (5/5) 
We always love a good dessert and will shamelessly find any excuse to eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. With options like flambe French toast, tiramisu waffles, and s’mores – all the dessert selections were tempting. Since we already had a heavy meal, we opted to share a Hazelnut Banana Crepe – a crispy crepe generously stuffed and slathered with Nutella, banana slices and roasted walnut with chocolate sauce on top. This was the perfect dish to wrap up our meal – delicious and decadent. Perfect for sharing….or not! 

OVERALL
We love that there is a 24-hour breakfast spot that not only takes its breakfast seriously – but also offers a variety of dishes that cater to every craving imaginable.  The food is good, the ambience is lovely, and the staff are very friendly and accommodating. 

Address: No.30, Arcade Independence Square, Bauddhaloka Mawatha
Reservations: 0112681690
Website/Menu: www.bloomingbreakfast.com
Time: Open 24 hours 

Pictures by Pradeep Dilrukshana